Robyn Mangiardi sent three horses to the track on Sunday, Oct. 29 at Saratoga Casino Hotel and all three returned to the winner's circle as victors in their respective classes.
Chris Long, having just crested a 4,000-win milestone, piloted each of the triad to victory.
In a $10,150 condition class, the Mangiardi-trained Century Invader won every panel in :29.1, :59 and 1:28.3 before hanging onto the win at the wire by a neck in 1:58.4. Snowpiercer (Matthew Athearn) finished second and Tranquility K (Jim Devaux) was third. Leann Simek owns the four-year-old Resolve gelding. Century Invader paid $6.50 to win from 2-1 odds.
My Mind Is Madeup got away third in a condition pace worth $5,000 before taking command of the field. Long and the Mangiardi pupil won by three-quarters of a length at the wire in 1:56.3 over Delightful Joe (Devaux) and Amour Cruiser (Brett Beckwith). Mangiardi co-owns the 10-year-old Mister Big gelding with Keith Foote. He paid $7.30 to win from 3-1 odds.
Conquest As closed out the card and Mangiardi's training hat trick with a win in the $11,250 condition nightcap. The six-year-old gelding rode the pocket trip before going on to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:58 over Southeater (Brian Cross) and Mr Contestant (Athearn). Mangiardi owns the Conway Hall son, who returned a $17.40 win ticket from 8-1 odds.
In the featured $39,600 Jim Derue Memorial Trotting Series final, Crazy Ritz (pictured above) led gate-to-wire through panels in :29.3, :59.4 and 1:28.2 before crossing the wire 1-1/2 lengths the best in 1:57.4. Las Vegas Hanover (Beckwith) finished second with Sevenatchi (Jay Randall) third. James McNeight drove the three-year-old Crazy Wow son to victory for trainer Lisa Zabielski and owner James Palladino.
Yo Cheyenne and Brett Beckwith took the $20,000 Jim Derue Memorial consolation by two lengths in 1:58.3 for trainer Brett Derue, who co-owns the sophomore daughter of Dover Dan with Stephen Picarazzi. She paid $5.40 to win.
In the $16,050 Winners Over/Open Handicap Trot, Pay Me To Knight fought from last to earn a first-place finish by a neck at the wire in 1:57.3 with trainer Douglas Maura in the bike for owner Louis Maura. The five-year-old Conway Hall gelding paid $30.60 to win for the upset.
Racing at Saratoga Casino Hotel resumes on Monday, Oct. 30 with a first post of 12 p.m.
(Saratoga Casino Hotel)